Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An information processing apparatus comprising: one or more memories configured to store instructions; and one or more processors communicatively connected to the one or more memories and configured to execute the stored instructions to: acquire a first virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a first view direction to a position of interest from a watching position, by a user, of a virtual viewpoint image to be generated based on a plurality of images obtained by capturing an image capturing target area from directions different from one another by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; acquire a second virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a second view direction to the position of interest to be included in the virtual viewpoint image and within the image capturing-target area; determine a movement path that starts at a first virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the first virtual viewpoint information, towards a second virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the second virtual viewpoint information, and includes one or more intermediate virtual viewpoints each specifying a view direction to the position of interest; and control a virtual viewpoint to move from the first virtual viewpoint position and the first view direction to the second virtual viewpoint position and the second view direction along the determined movement path.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the watching position is a position of a terminal used for watching of the virtual viewpoint image.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the watching position is a position of a user who watches the virtual viewpoint image.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first virtual viewpoint position information is acquired based on processing to detect the user from a captured image.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first virtual viewpoint position information is acquired based on at least one of GPS data and a seat number of a spectator stand.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position of interest is a position of a specific object within the image capturing target area.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position of interest is a position specified by a user.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position of interest is a position selected from a plurality of candidate positions.
9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement path includes at least one of a linear portion where the virtual viewpoint is controlled so as to move linearly from the first virtual viewpoint position to an intermediate virtual viewpoint position which is towards the position of interest and a specific distance apart from the position of interest, or a rotational portion where the virtual viewpoint is controlled so as to move rotationally around the position of interest from the intermediate virtual viewpoint position to the second virtual viewpoint position.
10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual viewpoint is controlled so as to move with a line-of-sight direction facing toward the position of interest.
11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual viewpoint is controlled so as to move around with respect to a movement direction of the position of interest in a case where the position of interest moves.
12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual viewpoint is controlled so as to move three-dimensionally.
13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to: generate the virtual viewpoint image corresponding to the controlled virtual viewpoint based on the plurality of images.
14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement path of the virtual viewpoint comes close to the position of interest from the watching position.
15. An information processing method comprising: acquiring a first virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a first view direction to a position of interest from a watching position, by a user, of a virtual viewpoint image to be generated based on a plurality of images obtained by capturing an image capturing target area from directions different from one another by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; acquiring a second virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a second view direction to the position of interest to be included in the virtual viewpoint image and within the image capturing target area; determining a movement path that starts at a first virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the first virtual viewpoint information, towards a second virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the second virtual viewpoint information, and includes one or more intermediate virtual viewpoints each specifying a view direction to the position of interest; and controlling a virtual viewpoint to move from the first virtual viewpoint position and the first view direction to the second virtual viewpoint position and the second view direction along the determined movement path.
16. The information processing method according to claim 15 , wherein the watching position is a position of a terminal used for watching of the virtual viewpoint image.
17. The information processing method according to claim 15 , wherein the watching position is a position of a user who watches the virtual viewpoint image.
18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform an information processing method, the information processing method comprising: acquiring a first virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a first view direction to a position of interest from a watching position, by a user, of a virtual viewpoint image to be generated based on a plurality of images obtained by capturing an image capturing target area from directions different from one another by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; acquiring a second virtual viewpoint position information for specifying a second view direction to the position of interest to be included in the virtual viewpoint image and within the image capturing target area; determining a movement path that starts at a first virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the first virtual viewpoint information, towards a second virtual viewpoint position corresponding to the second virtual viewpoint information, and includes one or more intermediate virtual viewpoints each specifying a view direction to the position of interest; and controlling a virtual viewpoint to move from the first virtual viewpoint position and the first view direction to the second virtual viewpoint position and the second view direction along the determined movement path.
19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the specific distance is determined in accordance with a situation around the position of interest.
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June 7, 2022
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